10 Baltimore Rappers That You Need to Know

 •  Music  •  by XXL Staff  •  57 Comments

DBoi Dome_Baltimore

DBoi Da Dome

DBoi Da Dome grew up near Pennsylvania Avenue in an area of West Baltimore known as “The Dome” hence his name. He quickly put aside his turbulent past of the street life behind to focus more on expanding his brand as a hip-hop Artist. His first street album A Dope Boi’s Dream raised quite a response not only for the lyrics, but a photoshoped image of a then rumored “dope boy” DBoi posing next to Martin Luther King, which the rapper refuted stating, “People think just because you come from the bottom that you can’t have a dream too. I’ve been through so much, but I believe in my dream just as strongly as he believed in his and that’s why I stood next to the King.” 2012 proved to be a year of more success gaining DBoi attention from label execs as well as the opportunity to open up for Bad Boy Recordings artist King Los. He also closed out the year dropping another project The Response, with the popular single “Taking Shots,” it’s evident DBoi has evolved as an artist.

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  • AZ

    the only Baltimore rapper i’ve heard of the NOE from jim jones’ byrdgang

    • http://www.facebook.com/rarahphoto Ryan Stevenson

      NOE is really good. I think he may have only been passed up because he sometimes sounds like Jigga’s twin, no fault of his own though.

  • NAP CHICK

    Keep pushing aki I’m ya number 1 fan from day one u know I got ya back when u down or up keep pushing unwilling excell and you are and will be recognized for the talent and the knowledge you have keep it up and never give up which I know u won’t love ya!!!!

  • heyheyitsmeitsme

    How is KANE MAYFIELD not on this list??!?!?!

    • http://www.facebook.com/rarahphoto Ryan Stevenson

      Seriously, look into it XXL!

      • WWALK BMORE4LIFE

        mullyman is THE ONLY ONE THATS DOIN-IT RIGHT HE IS THE ONE THAT THE CITY IS PULLIN FOR ALL THE OTER NIGGAS ON HERE IDK.BALTIMORE IS ON THE RISE BUT ON MULLYS BACK.PURPLE REIGN WHORES

  • http://twitter.com/FreeALRogers Baby Al

    Y’ALL GOT THE GAME FUCKED UP HOW ABOUT COMING DOWN HERE BEFORE POSTING A FUFU LIST.

  • http://twitter.com/OGDutchMaster OG Dutch Master

    THIS SHIT WACK AS FUCK XXL…….YOU DONT KNOW BALTIMORE MUSIC…….ALL THESE NIGGAS LIKE 40+

    • http://twitter.com/DaKidGowie Grown Azz Kid

      No dick riding, but I was mad when I didn’t see you on the list.

  • http://twitter.com/FreeALRogers Baby Al

    Who wrote this fuck ass article?

  • Oab Jenkins

    Where is Rickie Jacobs at? Y’all obviously know nothing about Baltimore.

    • http://www.facebook.com/snubnose.ent.9659 Steven Snubb Armstrong

      WHO????????????????????????

      • Spizzy

        lmmfaoooooooooooo I said the same thing steven

  • http://www.facebook.com/Amexemoor Taalib Akil El Bey

    Truth is they made it

  • http://www.facebook.com/Sk8Life818 Norris Peoples

    WHERE THE FUCK IS DZ , OG DUTCH , BUTCH DAWSON , FLACCO & SODUH ? YALL DONT KNOW SHIT ABOUT WHATS GOING ON IN BALTIMORE I NEVER EVEN HEARD OF NONE OF THESE MUHHFUCKAS ON THIS LIST ! FUCK LOS !

    • http://www.facebook.com/snubnose.ent.9659 Steven Snubb Armstrong

      THATS PROLLY CUZ U YUNG SHAWTY…..SOME OF THESE DUDES PAVED THE WAY JUST SO WE CAN BE HEARD….NIGGAZ MIGHT BE OLD BUT THEY AINT WACKK EITHER….RESPECT THE GAME AND YOUR CITY…THATS THE CHARM CITY WAY B4 WE GOT GANGS..WE ROCKED BOMBER JACKETS WIT OUR BLOCK OR HOOD ON THE BACK SALUTING THE WHOLE BMORE….YOU GOTA GROW UP OR YOU AINT GON NEVER MAKE IT IN THE BUIZNESS DAWG…

  • http://www.youtube.com/mzstrawberrydyme Bella Elizabeth

    Typical ‘rappers’..Going for the mainstream/commercial shit..How about Dirt Platoon??..Baltimore S.O.N.??..Ill Conscious??..K Mack??..Those are EMCEES, not rappers.

    Everybody wants to make this trap-rap, down south bullshit & the ‘fans’ listen & buy into it cuz they’ve been brainwashed by the mainstream radio..Whoever wrote this obviously has no knowledge of Baltimore Hip Hop.

    • http://www.facebook.com/liezel127 Lisa Liezel Stant

      She has knowledge and she wrote about 10 rappers!! SMH There are tons of people doing stuff in this scene! See this article for what it is!! A stepping stone!!

  • bink

    only one of these niggas are actually making noise in my city, wtf wrong with yall niggas ? smh

  • BeNTheLoop

    This is a JOKE!!! get more intouch with Baltimore’s Muisc Scene!!!

  • Jason

    This is the biggest joke ever. Whoever made this list needs to be fired. They clearly did not do any real research who’s hot in Baltimore. This list is disrespectful to all the young rappers that are giving Baltimore people something to look forward to. Don’t talk about our city, if you don’t know shit about it.

  • Disdick

    Lmao I’m dead just like most of these rappers never heard of them

  • fan410

    what about wombatt55??

  • KILLA

    KRUTBALL GUTMAN,JAY LUV,LANDLORD,K-MACK AND DUDES LIKE THAT ARE SOME SICK BALTIMORE NIGGAS YOU WILD ASS COONZ!!

  • kimmi

    Y u guys hating. O I know because U wishing you could have reached the level of success
    they have. Get a life!!!

  • http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1218043556 Kim Brown

    Hello, I could not help but to comment on the negative feedback. The artists mentioned in this piece were highlighted, but trust, there are MANY other talented artists in Baltimore City. However, all names could not be listed. THANK YOU to XXL Magazine for publishing the article. As we are ALL aware this is a tough industry to break into so everybody is grinding. I wish EVERYONE success whether your from Baltimore or Kentucky. Please be gracious with your comments. YOU could be next. Peace & Blessings.

  • Bmorehiphop

    YALL NIGGAS MUST NOT HAVE BEEN TO BALTIMORE IN BOUT 20 YEARS TO HAVE COME UP WITH A LIST THAT SOOOOO WAY OFF !. SKARR, COMP, LOS, BACKLAND, TESTME, BARNES, CADDY , SMASH, HUNIT STACKZ, GEM, STARRZ, JROCK, MULLY, BOSSMAN, Q-HOLLA, DDM, HEAVY GOLD, COME ON SON, YALL NIGGAS GEEKIN REAL HARD WIT THIS MONKEY ASS LIST RIGHT NOW ! DO YOUR HOMEWORK BEFORE YOU GO OFFENDING AN ENTIRE HIP-HOP COMMUNITY

    • http://www.facebook.com/snubnose.ent.9659 Steven Snubb Armstrong

      ok so Comp did a song wit Jadakiss and ghostface b4 half u niggas that rap now even knew we been a lil in the game..we finally all the way in…Los is on fukin tv and was at the hiphop muzik awards DAT SPEAKS 4 ITSSELF…BOSSMANN 1ST DEAL WAS WITH JERMAIN DUPREE–MULLY BEEN ON AND OFF THE RADIO SINCE THE FIRST LIL BOSSMAN BEEF GIG..AND SKARR IZ AND HAZ BEEN PUSHIN AND BANGING AT THAT RAP DOOR SINCE DA 90′S…YALL DUDES IS 2 FUKKING YOUNG AND DUMB…BET IF YALL NIGGAZ EVER GET A FED BID THE 1ST PEOPLE U GONNA TRY FIND IS A BALTIMORE NIGGA…BUT U HOME U HATE O ONE….OPEN UR MIND B4 UR MOUTH DAWG..YALL NEED TO REALLY DO UR HOMEWORK…WHAT ABOUT LIL-CLAYWAY (RIP) AND JI900(RIP) HAVE YOU EVER HEARD OF THEM..NOPE ..WHAT ABOUT THE TRECHEROUS 3 WHO’S FIRST ALBUM WAS OUT IN THE FUKIN 80′S.SO YEA THEM BALTIMORE RAPPERS THAT MADE IT SO XXL WOULD EVEN LOOK AT US DESEERVE THAT SPOT…PLUS THEY PROLLY CHECKED THERE NUMBERS AND WHENT OFF THAT..BET UR NUMBERS AINT UP..BET U AINT BMI OR ASCAP CERTIFIED YET…ITS A DIFFRENCE BETWEEN AN ARTIST AND A RAPPER..THESE NIGGAZ IS ARTIST-YALL NIGGAZ MUST B RAPPERS…SMH…

  • http://www.facebook.com/shabazzmartailarts Shakim Ali

    Much props to you fam its your time some of these kats must have forgot all the work you have put in along with the street buzz and cred hard work and being constant on your grind Big up to you again

  • http://www.facebook.com/antwanmc Mac Teambk Mcknight

    I don’t know about the rest of the list, but these Starvation dudes have pure talent, and a breath of fresh air to the ears of someone like me who loves real hip hop.

  • spycam44

    How is Sullee J not up here?

  • Blockskonovich

    Never heard Of anybody but Los and I’m just gonna say I’m not a fan of his music. I wouldn’t say yo garbage but just not my cup of tea. Never heard of anyone else on this list. XXL really aint hip anyway so I didn’t expect much from this article

  • Ayy-Sheets

    Crete Oxford! Currently residing in Baltimore.

  • http://www.facebook.com/agnatelee Nate Lee

    This comment section filled up with a bunch of clowns. How yall gonna hate cause yall or your un-known mens wasn’t mentioned. The reason artist in Baltimore only get but so far is because all yall do is this. A real nigga would never fuck with nun of heckling like pussy ass niggas. Streets or on beats. Clack on bitches. Big shouts to everybody that made it on this list. From Nate Lee. one of yall Fuck niggas got something to say. Find me ! It aint hard.

    • Greg D.

      Are you the Nate Lee that sold me that lemon of a car?! I’ve been looking for you!

  • Black

    Ya need to hear her shit…better than a most. Miss Cream aka Empress is one of the best in MD.

    • http://www.facebook.com/Official.Amotion.page Amotion Dfs

      Agreed she’s one of my 2 favorite Bmore femcees

  • WhoLuther

    Being a native from Baltimore I know my city has talent Congrats to all who made the list. Many blessings, Love the article, S/O to Off Tha Edge

  • http://www.facebook.com/Ered187 Eric Harris

    see wat da fuck happens when a few niggas get recognized 4 their hard work(n ths sht is hard work) all da fuckn haters start lining up..thats da main reason baltimore is behind n da game..u niggas r better at hatin than rappin n handling ur business..them block raps gon keep ur ass rite on da block..shout out 2 all da niggas mentioned everybody else turn up..

  • http://www.facebook.com/Official.Amotion.page Amotion Dfs

    Appreciate showing Bmore love. True there’s a few who should have been switched out for others but you def got at least half the list right so respect. All the peope complaing below need to chill you know they got much of it right just by the noise certain artists are making. Without them actually being in the scene down here of course they’re not gonna get it all right just be glad they showed us (Baltimore) love. It’s about time someone does! Superbowl champs baby!

  • Ra The Pyramid

    Skarr, King Los, Mully, have put in mad work to deserve this spotlight… But for this list to have some Artists on here and exclude OOH of Brown F.I.S.H., Eze Jackson, Bossman, Symantyx, or even Kane Mayfield is blasphemous to the Baltimore Hip Hop community… Whomever reads this please by all means look up and support all 10 artists BUT also look up the other artists I mentioned and you’ll understand the uproar because real talk, a lot of these artist would put the people I listed on this list BEFORE they would themselves… no bad feelings support them all but besides the three I mentioned in the beginning, the artists on the list have much more dues to be paid to be given this spotlight, NO DEBATING… Congrats…

    • Ra The Pyramid

      Shit I forgot to put Smash… SMH… this list is a microwave list done quickly after the Ravens won the Super Bowl, that’s the ONLY thing I can think of… Twitter and Facebook don’t tell the whole story… Journalism still requires research…

  • http://DMVLIFE.com DMVLIFE.com

    Sorry XXL but please dont try this shit again. If u really wanna know whos hot in Bmore and the DMV go to DMVLIFE. com.

  • FOHHaters

    Man these comments sound like a bunch of wannabe ass niggas that sound jealous as fuck, envy and more… thats right crabs in a barrel pulling each other down.. if anything ppl should be trying to get in contact with these artist and putting some network together. Who knows, maybe they hotter outside of baltimore??? None of these haters would know… Its a whole world out there with many different opinions and outlooks… S/O to everyone that made the list and to the haters that didnt, grind harder…

  • http://DMVLIFE.com DMVLIFE.com

    Sorry XXL but please dont try this shit again. If u really wanna know whos hot in Bmore and the DMV go to DMVLIFE. com

    • http://www.facebook.com/liezel127 Lisa Liezel Stant

      It’s not about who is hot!! SMH

  • unlisted

    Wow theres alot of hateration on these comments, Black people can’t ever support each other….

  • g

    I’m thinking XXL made a List of people who actually matter…..

  • I SEE YOU LAMES

    This is exactly why Baltimore is where it is you niggas salty as fuck talking real reckless instead of up lifting and bringing more attention to the citys rappers and as far as the list goes the first 4 smashing everything moving. Grow the fuck up and grind BITCHES!!

  • KANE PRICE

    REGARDLESS IT SHINES LIGHT ON MARYLAND AS A WHOLE, AND GIVE THE ARTIST THAT DIDNT MAKE THE LIST THIS YEAR, TIME TO GET THIER POPULARITY UP AND GRIND FOR THE NEXT LIST. OBVIOUSLY THE ONES THAT MADE IT DID SOMETHING TO GET NOTICED. DONT HATE CONGRATULATE THE CITY OF BALTIMORE ON THIS SPOT LITE WE ARE GETTING RITE NOW. CRABS IN A BARREL GET NO ONE ANYWHERE. THATS WHY THE INDUSTRY DONT WANNA GET BEHIND A BMORE ARTIST BECAUSE ITS KNOWN HOW NIGGAZ IS. THEY HAD TO ADD ANOTHER TEN BECUZ THEY KNEW PPL WOULD BE BEEFIN. GET OVER IT AND JUST WORK HARDER!!! -KANE PRICE…”KANE PRICE IN HIGHWAY 2 HELL” AVAILABLE ON ITUNES AND AMAZON.COM SHOUT OUT TO ALL DMV ARTIST ON AND OFF THE LIST!!!

  • mashep86

    I cant wait to get on this list

  • http://www.facebook.com/liezel127 Lisa Liezel Stant

    You all are killing me and I just read the first couple comments!! How can you say that she doesn’t know hip hop when half of you only support your mans and them and never support the scene as a whole?? Do any of you know all those artists on this list of GET TO KNOW??? Hell no!! I have been involved in the scene since 2006 and I haven’t heard of 4 of these rappers and people outside the city sure as hell don’t know them at all!! Get over your hating because you didn’t get mentioned or because your mans and them didn’t get mentioned!! See this as what it is….light shining on the hip hop scene in Baltimore!! You retards get pissed off because there is no support and now someone is actually writing about the music scene and all you all know how to do is bitch, complain and moan about this list is bullshit and this list is this and that!! Ain’t no please you!! And people wonder why Baltimore music has no backing!! Just look at yourselves!! Hell NO one from my team got mentioned and not one of them is bitching and complaining! They are just making moves and taking the opportunity to strike while the iron is hot!! You all are forgetting that this list is not a TOP anything list!! It is just 10 rappers to get to know! Get over it!!!!

  • johnny lo

    *LOGIC*

  • http://twitter.com/BushmanBeats Jake

    No Chopper City? This magazine is fucking bullshit.

  • UNKNOWN

    SAY WHAT U WANT BUT CADDY DA DON & 100 GRAND MAN HAS MADE NOISE BOTH LOCALLY AND IN THE DMV …. BESIDES NO ONE CAN DENY “HUNNIT’S” REAL LIFE STREET CRED …. (FREE 100 … FEDS CANT HOLD YA PIMP)

  • Spizzy

    I NEVER HEARD OF THE LAST GROUP,EMCEE WATER,MOOKED OUT,OR STARVATION BUT ITHIS IS A DECENT LIST

  • Mani

    SMFH/// THEY ALL DESERVE RESPECT But theyyy def got the game fkkked up…